Selection and Weeding Policy

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Pike County Schools Media Center Selection and Weeding Policy
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Mission Statement - Pike County School's Media Centers
The mission of the Pike County School's Media Centers is to ensure staff and students have the ability and knowledge to locate, organize, and use information as we provide the foundation for the highest academically performing small school system in Georgia. It is the duty of the library staff to provide the school community with a wide range of materials on all appropriate levels of difficulty. The library media center program will provide materials and services that will encourage students’ enjoyment and love for reading. These materials and services will also help to develop literary, cultural and aesthetic appreciation of the arts and sciences. The library strives to stimulate intellectual curiosity and to establish the habit of lifelong reading and learning.




Vision Statement - Pike County School's Media Centers
The vision of Pike County School's Media Centers is to provide a welcome learning environment in which students and teachers may gain access to a wide variety of information as it relates to their instructional programs so that they may be academically successful. Additionally, the Media Center Staff encourages students and teachers to become life-long learners by promoting literacy skills and the enjoyment of reading, supporting their efforts to graduate on time and achieve their post-secondary goals.

Media Committee
The media committee will be comprised of teachers from the various grade levels with the media specialist as chair. The committee will meet at least 3 times a year or as needed. The committee will meet to discuss goals, purchase recommendations, and/or book challenges.
Role of the Committee:
  • Promote initiatives, communicate expectations, and evaluate program effectiveness
  • Make recommendations for the distribution of media center funding
  • Serve as media good-will ambassadors
  • Seek input from faculty
  • Keep faculty inform of actions and recommendations of the committee
Responsibilities of the Chair:
  • Become knowledgeable about the school curriculum and instructional initiatives
  • Keep up-to-date on available resources, equipment, and trends
  • Plan and prepare for committee meetings and provide agendas.
  • Provide the committee with relevant resources and information for consideration or discussion based on current standard selection tools
  • Follow through on any recommendations, directives or decisions reached by the committee
Responsibilities of Individual Members
  • Provide leadership in implementing and adapting plans and monitor planning processes and results
  • Seek input from teachers on grade level
  • Participate in the decision-making and other work of the committee
  • Support the decisions and actions of the committee
  • Assist with public relations efforts

Position on Intellectual Freedom
What is Intellectual Freedom? “Intellectual Freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receiveinformation from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free accessto all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question cause ormovement may be explored. Intellectual Freedom encompasses the freedom to hold, receive and disseminate ideas.” -American Library Association
Why Is Intellectual Freedom Important? Academic freedom is connected to intellectual freedom. The school library media program plays a unique role in promoting intellectual freedom. The school district should provide intellectual and physical access to resources that provide a wide range of abilities and differing points of view (Scales, 2009). It is in the public interest for school library media centers to establish an environment where diverse views and expressions are welcomed. It is conflict with public interest for media specialists to establish their own political, moral, or aesthetic view as a standard for determining what books should be circulated within the media center. School library media specialists serve the educational process by helping to make available knowledge and ideas required for the growth of the mind and the increase of learning. Students should have the freedom to read and consider a broader range of ideas. According to the ALA, school media center policies must be carefully formulated to ensure that violations of intellectual freedom do not occur.
Roles of the School Library Media Specialist:
  1. It is the role of the SLMS to “uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and to support a teacher’s right to teach and select the novels she uses for instruction” (Scales, 2009, p. 4).
  2. A SLMS must serve the entire student body through the inclusion of both curricular and recreational reading needs. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues.
  3. A SLMS must place principles of intellectual and academic freedom above personal opinion (Scales, 2009).
  4. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
Selection Checklist:
  • What is the law on restricted shelves?
  • What are the written materials selection policies?
  • Does the policy include a written procedure for handling complaints?
  • What are the inclusion laws pertaining to students with special needs and library access?
  • How is restricting a child by reading level an access issue?
  • Does the school district have a materials selection policy?
  • Do parents understand their children’s rights to materials that serve their personal and educational needs?
  • What is the responsibility of the school to provide materials to English language learners?
  • Is there a school board policy that deals with restricted access to the school library media facility?
ALA. (2012). Restricted access to library materials: An interpretation of the library bill of rights. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/restrictedaccess
Scales, P.R. (2009). Protecting intellectual freedom in your school library. Chicago: American Library Association.
For links to intellectual freedom issues go to American Library Association:
Office of Intellectual Freedom at www.ala.org/oif.

Selection of Materials

School library media specialists are responsible for the review, evaluation, and selection of the school library media collection. They are guided by the system-level selection policy that embodies the philosophy and procedures set forth in county documents. Library media specialists work cooperatively with administrators and teachers to provide resources which represent diverse points of view, stimulate growth in thinking skills, and promote the overall educational program. Library media collections are developed to meet both curricular and personal needs. To ensure that these needs are met, library media specialists apply selection criteria and use recommended selection tools. All purchases, including gifts, should meet the same selection standards. This selection policy reflects the philosophy and goals of the school system and supports the principles of intellectual freedom described in Information Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs, the Library Bill of Rights (ALA), Students' Right to Read (NCTE), and other position statements on intellectual freedom from the American Library Association and the American Association of School Librarians.

Selection Criteria for Library Media Materials

  • Appropriate for recommended levels- should be accessible to students of varied abilities, and meet informational and interest needs of all students.
  • Pertinent to the curriculum and the objectives of the instructional program- should be selected on the basis of assessed curricular needs. Materials should reflect the identified learning outcomes of the instructional program.
  • Accurate in terms of content- should present facts in an objective manner. Authority of the author, organization, publisher/producer should be a consideration in selection. Materials concerning human development and family life should contain facts which are presented in a manner appropriate to the level of the students.
  • Appropriate format to effectively teach the curriculum- should be available in variety of formats, e.g., print, non-print, electronic, multimedia, to meet the needs and learning styles of a diverse student population.
  • Cost effective in terms of use- should be evaluated for cost effectiveness in terms of accessibility, projected use, and durability.
  • Appropriate for students with special needs- should be provided to meet curricular needs and the individual needs, interests, and learning styles of all students at all levels.
  • Recent copyright date as appropriate to the subject - should be assessed for currency of the information as it relates to the content and purpose of the item.

Implementing the Selection Policy
The responsibility for coordinating the selection of library materials rests with the library media specialist who seeks faculty, student, and parent recommendations for purchase of library media materials. A consideration file of materials will be kept. Favorable reviews from professional review journals and authoritative selection references should be used when developing library media collections. Wherever possible, direct examination of materials is advisable to ensure that they meet selection criteria. Library media materials listed in the Instructional Materials Catalog, the Periodicals Catalog, and the H.W. Wilson Catalog have been evaluated by school library media specialists and approved for purchase.
  • Essential Curriculum and Collection Development -should be to provide materials which meet curricular needs. To assess these needs, knowledge of the Essential Curriculum and access to these guides is important. It is recommended that a copy of each curriculum guide be housed in the library media center. The library media specialist needs to be familiar with changes and additions to the curriculum and how they effect collection development.
    • http://blog.schoollibrarymedia.com/index.php/category/collection-development/
      This School Library Monthy site contains a section of blogs dedicated to collection development. There are various posts on media for children, scraping the dewey for the bookstore model, digital reading, weeding, multicultural books, etc. They give tips, insight, and advice about these subjects that is very beneficial.
  • Teacher Recommendations- Communication with teachers to assess curriculum needs and recommendations for purchase is an important part of the selection process. Since the library media collection is an integral part of the instructional and learning process, the strength and value of the collection are ensured when teachers are actively involved in the selection process. A sample form is included at the end of this document.
  • Student and Parent Recommendations- is also an important part of the selection process. As students seek information for curricular purposes or use the library media center for personal interests, students and parents are encouraged to make recommendations of specific resources or subject areas where information is needed. A sample form is included at the end of this document.

  • Professional Review Journals

Recommended as tools to locate reviews. Most are considered professional review journals, e.g. Booklist, Booklinks, Multicultural Book Reviews, and School Library Journal;
however, some are considered general popular review sources. Keep this in mind when using these sources. Many of the sources listed below are available for purchase on the
Periodicals Catalog.
Authoritative selection references to help assess the quality of the media collection and the availability of resources from various publishers/producers. Unlike review
journals which are published monthly/bi-monthly, core collection references are updated annually. The following core selection references are available from the LAMS
Professional library or may be purchased locally:
    • Collection Management For Youth: Responding To The Needs Of Learner by Sandra Hughes-Hassell and Jacqueline Mancall, ALA, 2005.
    • Collection Management for School Libraries by Joy McGregor et al. Rowman and Littlefield, 2003.
    • Collection Development for a New Century in the School Library Media Center by W. Bernard Lukenbill. Libraries Unlimited, 2002.
    • Managing and Analyzing Your Collection: Practical Guide for Small Libraries and School Media Centers by Carol Ann Doll and Pamela Patrick Barron. American Library Association, 2002.
    • Fundamentals of Collection Development and Management by Peggy Johnson, ALA, 2003.
    • The Collection Program in Schools: Concepts, Practices, and Information Sources by Phyllis J. Van Orden and Kay Bishop, Libraries Unlimited, 2001
    • Collaborative Collection Development: A Practical Guide for Your Library by James Burgett, John Harr, and Linda L. Phillips, ALA, 2004.

  • Online Collection Development and Acquisitions

Greatly reduces the volume of paperwork and ensures more timely delivery of goods, as well is a savings to the school system by reducing the costs incurred with the
preparation of Purchase Requisitions.



    • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bofpsEciiQ&feature=related– 21st Century learning and collection development: James Neal, Vice President of Information Services and University Librarian at Columbia University speaks about four dynamic concepts motivating collection development: primal innovation, deconstruction, radical collaboration and survival.







  • Vendor Catalogs

Useful in preparing orders and determining the availability of materials. The library media specialist should keep in mind that these are marketing tools, not selection tools. Some catalogs list review sources, but they may not necessarily be positive ones. Also, some jobbers will prepare upon request subject specific bibliographies of materials,
e.g., multicultural with reference to reviews. These lists can be used to facilitate preparation of purchase requisitions.

Considerations for Selection of Print Materials

There are general selection criteria which apply to all library media materials. The following media formats require additional considerations.
Books
Due to the high cost of materials, it is important to examine books with the following additional criteria in mind before purchasing:
  • Illustrations and layout
  • Type style and text density
  • Paper quality
  • Durability of bindings
  • Readability and interests levels
  • Indexing

Common Core Georgia Performance Standards Text Complexity Rubric

Periodicals - Periodicals support the curriculum and provide leisure reading for students. Professional review journals and library periodicals for instruction may be considered for purchase. Consider access to full text online periodical databases, e.g., ASAP1 from Dialog Information Services.
Newspapers - Newspapers may be ordered as needed. Consider access to full text online newspaper databases, e.g., Baltimore Sun, New York Times from Dialog Information Services and the limited editions of the same titles on the World Wide Web.
Reference - Reference materials in both print and electronic formats provide comprehensive information in both general and subject-specific areas. They also serve as access tools to information from other sources including school, public, academic, and electronic collections.
The following points need to be considered:
  • Cost effective in terms of projected use
  • Authority
  • Arrangement and indexing
  • User-friendly

Selection of Nonprint Instructional Materials

The criteria for selection of nonprint materials are essentially the same as for print materials. The quality of auditory and visual presentation should be considered as well as accuracy of information and the appropriateness of format. Nonprint materials should:
  • Promote instructional goals and support the curriculum
  • Provide a variety of media formats to meet the needs of the curriculum
  • Present content in appropriate format and acceptable technical quality .
  • Avoid dense text and graphics

Considerations for Selection of Electronic Resources

Essentially the same as for print materials. Electronic resources such as CD-ROM, computer software, EBooks, and online services provide greater access to information. Availability of network versions and site license agreements are also factors in selection. Electronic resources should:
  • Provide learner control through flexible pacing, variable difficulty, and optimal branching and linking
  • Information is accurate and reliably maintained
  • Organization, searching capabilities, and navigation tools enhance information retrieval
  • Provide record keeping and management options, if applicable
  • Provide readable text, attractive graphics, and an appealing layout
  • Have easy-to-understand, comprehensive documentation.
  • User friendly
Access to Internet Resources - is a right and privilege granted to all students by the Pike County Schools. Through the annual notification process of the Pike County Public School Discipline Code, parents or guardians will receive a booklet of all behavior expectations, including appropriate and safe use of the Internet. Parents or guardians who DO NOT want their child to have access to Internet resources must submit a letter the school principal. The Policy defines use of the Internet for "educational purposes," outlines expectations for appropriate and acceptable use guidelines for school and office web publishing, and copyright compliance.

Periodicals and Newspapers
Ordering Procedures Periodicals are ordered through a subscription service so that a single purchase order may be issued to purchase or renew all publications (see magazine jobbers). Select a number of periodicals if the budget allows that support the curriculum and several high-interest titles to encourage recreational reading. In addition, the collection should include educational journals and local newspapers. Newspapers may be ordered by contacting the local publisher (Atlanta Journal and Constitution, www.ajc.com). A comprehensive list of all titles, both current and back-issues, should be maintained at the circulation desk.
Magazine Jobbers EBSCO,1140 Silver Lake Road,Cary,IL60013(Preferred Vendor) www.ebsco.com 800-323-6501
Demco, PO Box 14260, Madison,WI53714 800-448-6764
National Organization Services, 4515 Fleur Dr, Suite 301, Des Moines, IA,50321 800-747-3032
Popular Subscription Service,PO Box 1566, Terre Haute,IN47808-1566 800-426-5038
Budget Marketing Inc., 1171 7th St, Des Moines, IA50314
515-243-7000
Subscriptions Unlimited Corp,5911 SW 9th St, Des Moines,IA50312 515-287-7577
Preparing for Circulation Magazines and Journals
  • Check the items against the purchase order, invoice and packing slip.
  • Stamp and label each item on the front cover and back cover with an ownership stamp.
  • Remove subscription cards and other attachments.
  • Attach a barcode to the outside and inside back cover of the magazine in the upper right-hand corner.
  • Periodicals may be checked out by teachers only. Students may read periodicals while visiting the media center.
Newspapers
  • Remove advertisements and other loose inserts.
  • Place newspapers in display area.
Storage Current Issues Current periodicals and newspapers should be located in a highly visible area where students may sit and read these items as time permits. Normally two years of periodicals are kept out for circulation.
Back Issues Periodicals should be stored in box files, alphabetically by title, date, volume, and number with the latest issue to the right for a period of three years.
Newspapers are kept on display for a period of five days. Outdated editions are either kept for teacher use (art projects) or sent to the local recycling center.

Acquisition and Processing

Procedures for Ordering

Acquisition or purchasing usually depends on what is needed in the collection to improve it or to support programs used within the school. Material requests forms from teachers will be honored if possible. Media Committee will also have input.
  • Complete a purchase order (PO) for the product.
  • Assign funding.
  • Give to Principal for approval.
  • Send PO to Central Office.
  • Central office finance director approves.
  • Central offices faxes/mails.

Processing

  • Check invoice
  • Check materials ordered against packing slips
  • Place materials in an area for cataloging
  • Record the date and initial PO
  • Record total amount on budget form
  • Send PO and invoice to appropriate person for payment
  • Document in the budget book under the correct funding
  • Catalog the items
  • Stamp/Label all items with ownership stamps. Place stamp on items as follows:
  • Books: inside front cover and inside back cover
  • Videos/Cassettes/CDs/DVDs: centered on top of cover, on label of tape or CD
  • Attach spine labels (accelerated reader and LEXILE above call numbers on lower spine)
  • Attach protective covering, if necessary
  • Attach barcodes
  • Books: Horizontally on top right corner of back cover and inside back cover. (Request this from the vendor as appropriate or print them yourself.)
  • Videos/Cassettes/CDs/DVDs: Vertically on the top right corner of case and on the label of the tape or CD
  • Sets: On the outside of the box or bag containing the set.
  • Equipment: in a visible location on the front of the equipment and an additional "hard to reach" location.
Sources: Stein, Barbara L. and Brown, Risa W. (2002). Running A School Library Media Center. NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers.
Roberts, Mimi. (March 12, 2012). Interview with Mimi Roberts, Media Specialist, Pike County Primary School.
Merrick, Karen (March 12, 2012). Interview with Karen Merrik, Media Specialist, Pike County Middle School.
Hart, Vivian (March 12, 2012). Interview with Vivian Hart, Media Specialist, Pike County Elementary School.


Inventory of Books, Audiovisual Materials and Equipment


The annual inventory provides a detailed account of the total numbers of books, non-books, and instructional equipment in the school media center. Missing items are identified, and the database records are updated for current holdings. The inventory provides a process to remove records of missing materials and to keep the database accurate.
General Guidelines for an Automated Annual Inventory
  • The Media Center will close two weeks prior to the last day of school.
  • Read the shelves to get materials in order. Make a list of each area in the collection. Check off after reading and scanning.
  • Scan the barcode of each book, one section of the collection at a time, and check section off list.
  • Download information into the computer.
  • Produce a list of missing books.
  • After trying to locate missing books, decide if they will be replaced or deleted from the collection.
  • As missing items are found scan them into the inventory log.
Inventory of Audiovisual Equipment and Materials Classroom teachers may keep AV equipment and materials in their rooms at the end of each year, unless they are changing rooms. Computers do not leave the room to which they are assigned. Use the scanner or manually log in each piece of equipment. Note the condition of the equipment at this time. Print a missing equipment/materials list.
Sources:
Stein, Barbara L. and Brown, Risa W. (2002). Running A School Library Media Center. NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers.
Roberts, Mimi. (March 12, 2012). Interview with Mimi Roberts, Media Specialist, Pike County Primary School.
Merrick, Karen (March 12, 2012). Interview with Karen Merrick, Media Specialist, Pike County Middle School.
Hart, Vivian (March 12, 2012). Interview with Vivian Hart, Media Specialist, Pike County Elementary School.

Weeding and Disposing of Materials and Equipment

Weeding Materials Weeding of materials should entail the same care, thought and judgment as selection of materials. Thought should be given to the goals of the library as well as to the availability of funds for the replacement of existing titles before older titles, which are still useful for the collection, are weeded.
Weeding is defined as the practice of discarding excess copies, rarely used books, and materials containing incorrect information. It is also important to weed books containing information that is no longer relevant to the curriculum or to the needs of students.
Weeding should not be used as a means for withdrawing controversial materials or materials that need re-evaluation. The county-adopted policy for handling the re-evaluation of materials should be followed for these materials.
Why weed? This process provides an appealing, up-to-date collection which makes the media center easier to use. It ensures a reputation for providing reliable information, provides feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of the collection, facilitates identification of works which need repair or replacement and makes space. In other words, it provides a means to enhance the credibility and use of the collection.
In general, last copies and out of print books are retained if their informational value is secure (i.e., not out of date or harmful to the community.) Commonly accepted practices include considering the age of the item and the last date it circulated. Once the library is at maximum count, one book should be weeded for every one acquired.
Books that should be weeded from the collection include:
  • Duplicate copies of titles that are no longer in demand (three to five years without circulating and the librarian’s knowledge that it has not been used in the library reference would probably warrant discarding.)
  • Titles which have been superseded by new editions
  • Books that are worn, damaged, or not in sufficient demand to justify extensive repair or rebinding
  • Books that contain out-of-date material that are superseded by more current titles in any given category
  • Sets of former textbooks (single copies may be kept for reference)
  • Sets of readers which can be returned to the classroom or other storage areas
Generally, Segal’s guide MUSTY is used for weeding:
  • M = Misleading - and / or factually inaccurate
  • U = Ugly - condition beyond mending, rebinding, or repairing.
  • S = Superseded - by a truly new edition or by a much better item on the subject
  • T = Trivial - of no discernibly literary or scientific merit
  • Y = Your collection has no use for this item.
Materials the library will keep include:
The classics (unless a more attractive format is available), local and state history materials (unless they can be replaced with new copies), annuals and other major publications of the school, archival materials (such as public relations brochures and bond advertising if not maintained by another unit of the schools), and items incorrectly classified or poorly promoted, which might circulate under changed circumstances.
000
 Encyclopedias
 New edition is needed at least every 5 years.

Bibliographies
 Seldom of use after 5 years after date of copyright.
100
 Ethics
 Value determined by use.
200
 Religion
 Value determined by use.
300
 Social Sciences
 See that all sides of controversial issues are well represented.
310
 Almanacs
 Superseded by each new volume.
340
 Government
 Every 10 years
370
 Education
 Keep historical materials if they will be used.
390
 Folkways
 Keep basic material
400
 Languages
 Keep basic material
500
 Pure Science
 Except for botany and natural history, science books are usually out of date within 5 years.
600
 Invention Medicine
 5 years, except for basic materials.
700
 Art, Music
 Keep basic materials
800
 Literature
 Keep basic materials
900
 History
 Depends on the accuracy of facts and fairness of interpretation.

Disposal of Materials


All weeded materials are labeled “DISCARD” with a black marker on the inside cover and the barcodes will be removed or marked with a marker and sent to maintenance for disposal. Be sure to remove the title(s) from the DESTINY system